The Shrewd Manager

Jesus told his disciples a parable about a rich man and his manager. People accused the manager of wasting the rich man’s possessions. So the rich man called him in and said he must give an account, because he could no longer serve as manager.

The manager thought to himself, “What will I do?” He knew he was losing his position. He was not strong enough for digging, and he was ashamed to beg. Then he made a plan so that, after he lost his work, people might welcome him into their homes.

He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first, who owed a hundred measures of oil, he said to change the bill to fifty. To another, who owed a hundred measures of wheat, he said to write eighty. The manager was acting for his own future.

In the story, the master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. Then Jesus said that the children of this world are often more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the children of light. Jesus also told his disciples to use worldly wealth in a way that prepares for what lasts.

Then Jesus gave the lesson clearly. Faithfulness in small things matters, and dishonesty in small things matters too. If someone is not faithful with worldly wealth or with what belongs to another, why would greater riches be entrusted to them? No servant can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and money.